Copolymers based on maleic acid derivatives and vinyl monomers, their production and application

Copolymers which are composed essentially of the structural elements ##STR8## and, optionally, ##STR9## whereby M:

• represents H or a cation such as alkaline or alkaline-earth metal, an ammonium group, or the residue of an organic amino group,
• R.sup.1 :
• represents C.sub.1 to C.sub.20 alkyl, C.sub.5 to C.sub.8 cycloalkyl or aryl group residue,
• R.sup.2 :
• represents H, C.sub.1 to C.sub.20 alkyl or hydroxyalkyl, C5 to C8 cycloalkyl or aryl group residue in which 1 or more H atoms can be substituted by the structural elements --COOM, --SO.sub.3 M and/or PO.sub.3 M.sub.2, as well as structural units of the General Formula (C.sub.m H.sub.2m O).sub.n R.sup.1, which optionally can be repeated,
• R.sup.3 :
• represents H, a methyl or a methylene group which can be substituted if necessary and which forms a 5 to 8-member ring or an indene ring which includes R.sup.5,
• R.sup.4 :
• represents H, a methyl or ethyl group,
• R.sup.5 :
• represents H, C.sup.1 -C.sup.20 alkyl, C.sub.5 -C.sup.8 cycloalkyl or aryl group residue, an alkoxy carbonyl group, an alkoxy group, an alkyl or aryl carboxylate group, a carboxylate group, a hydroxyalkoxy carbonyl group,
• m:
• represents a whole number from 2 to 4,
• n:
• represents a whole number from 0-100, preferably from 1-20.